The Desert Flower
by ladygodess
Summary: Having a lover isn't always what it's cracked up to be and Malik finds out the hard way, falling for the Thief King, might be his undoing. See inside for Warnings/Ratings. Thief Bakura/Malik.
1. Taken

**Author's notes:** I've just about typed this whole **New Story** out over a few days, I just couldn't help myself, it hit me like a sledgehammer and I could think of nothing else. This was intended for the fanfic 100challange, theme: Lovers, but it got lengthy fast, I enjoyed writing this so much, I just couldn't stop myself –laughs- Also this is a gift-fic for **Strange Liou**, because of all the awesome art she has done for me over the past few months on getting my original characters out of my head and onto paper or should I say screen lol gotta love Photoshop –hugs all- enjoy readers.

**Summary:** Having a lover isn't always what it's cracked up to be and Malik finds out the hard way, falling for the Thief King, might be his undoing.

**Warning(s):** M. Yaoi. Sex Scenes. Spoilers names and events, damn people don't we know it all already? O.o... and –shrugs- that's it, oh. No profit is made from this; characters are used only for my twisted amusement and twisted them I have, lol.

**Chapter 1: Taken.**

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Malik sprinted through the palace, leaping over a few dead guards and slaves. He glanced over his shoulder to see the small group of men still rushing after him; making whistle sounds and cat calls. Were they drunk the way they laughed and stumbled about after him? They were still fast and it didn't ease his mind that he had lost a few of them upon fleeing his bedchamber.

Another man broke away from the case upon seeing a woman, she screamed once she realized what she had stumbled into while trying to escape and she ran back the way she had come, only to be chased down.

Malik had been sleeping so soundly when the calls came that the Thief King was attacking the palace and everything fell into chaos around him and how fast the Thief King had over ran the palace was shockingly frighting. Malik had heard all the stores about the Thief King's raids on tombs and travellers caravans across the desert and nothing could come close in comparison to this scale of a raid.

It was clear in Malik's mind that the notorious Thief King was going to kill everyone here, but the thief's main target was Malik's cousin, no, the Pharaoh. Malik's heart leapt in relief and hope that Atemu's bedchamber was still closed was because the invaders hadn't released whose bedchamber it belonged to or they hadn't reached it yet.

Malik only stopped for a moment, to rip open the door and rush inside, he saw the room full of men and the Pharaoh gagged and tied up on the floor, but his body was slow to react and even slower to stop running. "What have we here?" Malik was grabbed in mid run and lifted off his feet. "Come to be the little hero?" Laughter broke out and Malik was dropped back to his feet and held in place.

"Let go!" Malik struggled to get free, he stopped however when his eyes landed on the shadowed figure lounging back on the bed, eyes that seemed to have an inhuman glow seemed to take in every inch of him and Malik felt suddenly naked under his stare.

Movement to Malik's left as the Pharaoh was forced to his knees before the thief and had broken the stare. The gag was removed, "You bastard of a motherless goat herder!" The insult shot out of Atem's mouth the moment he could open it. The men were in stitches of laughter, the thief King just smirked. "I'll have your heads for this!"

"Pharaoh," The fiendish thief king said mockingly. "You already took the heads of everyone in my village, my family, my friends, my cat." His men laughed again, but the thief king was deadly serious and Atemu and Malik knew it. "It's so unfair on how you do all the taking and never any giving." The thief rose gracefully from the bed and approached his captives.

Malik could do nothing but watch as the thief moved by Atemu and stopped right before him. Malik's heart sped up and he held his breath in fear of being killed at any moment. He got a rather good look at the thief, dark wine red eyes, the scaring over his right eye and cheek, his hair was covered over by a white hood and a few gold chains holding it in place, his cloak was open showing a well worked body of muscle.

His eyes locked onto Malik's, who had the brightest pools of liquid lavender he had ever seen and they were pleaded at him silently for something he had yet to voice, most likely to have his life spared like everyone else that fell under his blade.

Was it the tears that made them shine so much or the fear he saw in those depths... Damn, either way they were the nicest jewels he had ever laid eyes on. The thief spoke up, not looking away at all. "But what to do that would show your humanity side and give something back to the people. I do it all the time." The thief turned quickly and kicked Atemu in the back knocking him to the ground. "I give food, shelter and clothing to the children you have orphaned through your quest to make the perfect kingdom." Malik's heart slammed in his chest upon seeing the dagger the thief's now possessed in his hand. "Maybe a place in my men's bed and a taste of what being a slave really means, might teach you how to be a little giving." The thief king waved a hand and a few men moved in to take the Pharaoh away.

"No!" Atemu struggled against them and the first time in his life, fear laced his voice and showed on his face and in his eyes, he wouldn't survive such brutal cruelty.

"No?" The thief king repeated looking and sounding offended. "It is more then what you and your men offer women at any village you stop in. Taking whatever you wish. Your guards are all dead as are your priests and slaves. " The thief grabbed the Pharaoh by the front of his robes. "Your palace has fallen around you and by morning it'll be burnt to the ground... there is no Pharaoh without a kingdom and your childish protests of 'no' will not be listened to by men or me." He shoved Atemu into the arms of his waiting men.

"It's their duty to do as I ask of them, for me and my men!" Atemu growled back and recoiled as the Thief King towered over him looking furious that the Pharaoh saw fit to bed who he wanted by force, so it was only fair that the Pharaoh got a taste of that other end.

"Now it's your duty to sate my men!" The thief's eyes swept over his men. "If they'll have you," A few crude calls from the small crowd of men rose up, a few just snorted in disgust, but it was nothing new for them on how they reacted, a few of the Thief's men, lacked morals and manners and took orders mindlessly, they were the prefect kind.

"I'll do anything. Give you anything!" The Pharaoh pleaded. "A safe passage to my treasury!"

"Been there four times this month." The thief king grinned mischievously at the shocked and angry look the young Pharaoh gave him and the snickers from the men.

"All the water you need." Atemu tried again, and the men around him laughed.

"I have an oasis." The thief shot down all Atemu had to offer with a bored tone, but the look in his eyes was murderous that the Pharaoh would underestimate his ability to supply his men with such needs.

Malik's stomach dropped like a rock when Atemu's desperate eyes met his. "I'll give you him, in my place." Malik shook his head no, he wanted no part. "Full ownership." The thief king growled low in the back of his throat, his lips curled up in a snarl, how easy it was for the Pharaoh to stack claims on people's lives as if they were his own. "A pharaoh's cousin would fetch a nice price on any slave market." Atemu added.

Malik just about screamed when he when the thief's eyes racked over Malik's body once more with a somber look and a raised eyebrow. He wasn't bad look, well taken care of; he doubted the boy had ever seen a hard day's work in his life, a palace life made them all soft... but what an interesting twist of events.

Malik's eyes flicked back and forth between the thief King and the Pharaoh a few times before staying on Atem. "Please do not do this!" Malik pleaded, helpless but to stand there with the thief staring down at him. "Atemu please, you can't cast me away so..." Malik's pleading stopped when the thief had reached up and wiped the tears away from his cheek; Malik didn't pull away or throw insults at the thief for touching him, but rather stood there in a defeated way.

The Pharaoh had looked away his mind had been made up the moment he had spoken and Malik's pleading fell upon deaf ears. "Are you sure Pharaoh?" The thief grabbed Malik by his chin, pressing his cheek to the boy's and both stared at the young pharaoh. One pleading silently through his tears for saving and the other's gleamed in a way that made Atemu feel ashamed of himself. "You could be making a greater enemy then that of myself, right here and now. Your family, your beloved cousin, thrown away like an old, overused slave."

"Atemu," Malik whispered almost brokenly, knowing his cousin... no the Pharaoh had every right and really, it was his duty to do all he could to save the Pharaoh if his life was in danger. Not once had it crossed Malik's mind that his cousin would hand him over for something like this... only the gods knew what he would become at the hands of this monster.

"The reinforcements are here!" Came a call and the noises within the palace grew.

"Damn!" The thief snarled, he had no intention of letting the pharaoh live past morning, his men would be disappointed. "Time to meet the gods Pharaoh!" The thief lunged at him, just as the door burst open; the thief's men met the guards head on in a furious battle and the Pharaoh slipped away unharmed with what was left of his priests.

"Retreat!" The thief called knowing he had lost the battle here, but had all he needed. He snatched up the loot and bent down grabbing the Pharaoh's cousin by the rear end and tugged, causing Malik to yelp and fall over his shoulder, standing and turning for the window, he threw his bag of loot to one of his men and leapt out the window, followed by the rest of his men.

"After them!" The Pharaoh could be heard shouting at his guards from the window they had escaped from. "They've taken Malik!"

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**TBC. **

I don't expect this to be an overly long story and it will be posted up fast, as it is almost completed, so upon editing, it will be posted... **R**ead&**R**eview (Love and Cookies)


	2. Getting to Know

**Author's Notes:** As I said, it's rather a fast passed story with not that many chapters, from what I can see, it's rather smooth and lots of fun, enjoy.

**Warning(s): **M. Yaoi. (boy/boy)Sex Scenes **AHEAD**! Spoilers names and some events. Disclaimer see first chapter.

**Chapter 2: Getting to Know.**

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They rode all through the night and it had left Malik stiff and tried when he was shoved into what looked like a bedchamber, in a tent. Rugs of all kinds covered the ground. The bed however did look inviting; with the mount of pillows and silk sheets that Malik could just lay on and drift off to sleep for days, if he wasn't so damn frightened.

"I see you approve." Malik jerked away and backed up at the smug tone and getting himself tangled up in the chain that was connected from the bed to his ankle. He fell over and swiftly got to his feet. "You might as well kill me now; I'll not summit to you, ever!" Malik yelled at him, but his voice and the look in his eyes didn't hold the some determination that the words should have.

"Calm down." The thief narrowed his eyes and then rolled them. "I'm not into taking what's not willingly given." The thief grinned; it wasn't entirely true, he did steal and what he took wasn't freely given. The thief gracefully removed bits of clothing as he approached the other; Malik was hoping the thief was preparing for sleep.

Malik watched wide eyed and flushed and shifted on his feet nervously and looked about at anything that would help keep his eyes off the thief's well toned tanned body. "Are you a virgin?" The thief smugly whispered in his ear. Malik stumbled backwards only to come up short because of the chain about his ankle, wondering at what point did the other get so close. The thief lent in, grabbing Malik's hips and holding it flush against his own, both chest to chest. "I'll be gentle and forceful and the pleasure will be mind blowing, if you give yourself over to me." He nibbled and bit at Malik's ear and neck.

"Bed myself with the likes of you, never!" Malik hissed pushing the thief from him, tried and failed; he felt a wash of tears burn at his eyes as hands so skilfully ran over his sides and back and the way the other was holding him against him, didn't help his resolve.

"Cast away what morals you have for a life that you have been thrown from. You are mine now, the Pharaoh said it and it shall be done." The Thief hissed mockingly in his ear and Malik yelped and cried out as he was picked up and dropped onto the bed and the thief king looming over him, hands removing what clothing Malik had on.

"I don't..." Malik bit his lip unsure and damn well terrified out of his mind; he didn't know where he had been taken and he was with man that could kill him at any time. Malik wasn't stupid; he paid attention to all the stories. He _was_ lost and alone and no one was coming to help him, despite hearing the Pharaoh's calls when the thief fled with him. The guards would only search for him for a day or two, if that.

"I take in all the unwanted." The thief tried to ease him. "I'll be all you need; I'll be your mentor, your friend, your brother and your lover. I'll wash away the loneliness if you give me the chance." The funny thing was, the thief king sounded so sincere. Malik knew he was after only one thing.

His body.

Malik was trembling that badly that he was sure the thief could feel it through the bed, thinking came hard for him when he was trying to keep the other's hands off him... gods they were everywhere, all over his body and at all the right places.

Malik moaned weakly seeming to have his strength taken from him from all the struggling and how easy it was for the thief to pin him down and hold him in place. The thief's hand cupped his rear, and his chest pushed Malik further into the mattress. _Oh Gods_. It felt so _wrong,_ this intrusion against him, but at the same time, it was so different, and it awakened so many strange new emotions inside him that he'd never experienced anything in his life before that held so much passion and lust.

He was shocked at how fast he become aroused and worried at how quickly the thief moved and had him. The thief ran a hand down Malik's chest, stomach and thighs, bending them on the bed and at the same time undid the clamps on his own pants.

Malik hadn't even gotten the chance to say anything. In the back of his mind it told him to be more vigilant around the other if he had a future after tonight. "Don't be ashamed." He purred into Malik's ear liking the blush. "You have a great body."

Malik moaned and covered his face with his hands as more tears fell, was this what his life was headed for. He was highly educated and raised in a world of nobility. Not for this, he wasn't meant for such crude and vulgar treatment. His hands were removed from his face and pinned together by only one hand of the thief, who grinned down at him.

Malik wasn't sure if he liked that grin or not, there was just something about it, that was wicked and a since of self satisfaction and accomplishment in just a small twitch of the thief's lips.

Malik did not like that grin at all or the man above him, he never would.

Thief was too far gone, shaking. He wanted the other so much. He _needed_ to have him, to take him then and there. His animalistic lust ignored judgement as it so often did in bed, and he bit down hard on Malik's lip, just to hear a another cry, out of all the thief took to his bed were always willing, with the cliché words and moaning in his ear and they had turned and ravaged him, but in a good way... but this one, through tears of fear and soft please that had quietened and the body willing. It drove him on.

The thief king was almost done in by the heat and tightness of the body under him. Yes, this would be the best treasure he had ever taken and how he could mould this one into what he wanted with a little time and the Pharaoh would regret what he had done.

Malik arched off the bed with a cry, his heels dug into the mattress, his hands on the thief's shoulder as he tried to push himself away. The thief held him in place, a gasp falling from his own lips and he massaged Malik's rear and thighs... Malik didn't get a chance to collect himself or keep up on what the other was doing to him. The thief ground his hips into the other. Malik lost his voice, his protested died in his throat and replaced by gasps, so he gripped onto the other above him, the thief could have his body but not his heart or soul or mind.

The thief set a pace that _he_ was custom to and no other, he brushed away a few stray tears from the other's cheek, Malik just laid there, staring up at the thief, since it was all done, there was nothing else that thief could do to him that would compare to this.

The thief displeased, frowned; surely he hadn't broken the other yet, when he was being ever so gentle and on their first night. This wouldn't do, he wanted to see the other in the throes of pleasure and he knew just how to do that. The thief moved once more to sit back on his knees and pulled the other with him. "Come here." The thief said softly, pulling the other up onto his lap; the chain about Malik's ankle rattled.

Malik gasped out in pleasure at the new angel and gripped the thief's shoulder and his other hand met the white hood that covered the thief's head and pulled it off, gold chains and all, to reveal white wild hair. "You like it?" There was an undertone of loathing and bitterness in the thief's voice, as if all that had gone wrong in the world was because of his unusual white hair.

"I do." Malik breathed back honestly, shocking the other. The thief smirked and wiped away what was left of Malik's stray tears and picked up his rhythm, trying to hit that spot that had the other in complete rapture now.

It didn't take long at all, when a cry tore itself from Malik's lips as he came between their already crushed together bodies. The thief growled, he had already been holding back for too long, and followed the other into a moment of ecstasy.

* * *

The next morning Malik had found himself alone in the thief's bed, wrapped in blue silk sheets, Naked. Traces on his body and between his thighs with the slight pain in his _lower _back told him exactly what happened last night. He felt like crying, humiliated with himself and loathing for the thief for making him give in and enjoying it.

He soon enough pulled himself from the bed and found the chain to his ankle removed, clean clothes at the end of the bed, a jug filled with clean water and a basin, waiting to be used. Malik took full advantage of them, washing and dressing, then leaving the bedchamber hoping he could make an escape with the thief's lack of knowledge on how to keep a prisoner.

Malik upon stepping out into the open he had to shield his eyes from the blinding sun. "There you are." The thief approached him, fully dressed from sandals to white hood. Malik backed up a little. "You look confused to be out here." The thief stopped at the last possible second.

Malik was confused and voiced it, lowering his hand and taking another step away from the other. "I thought I would be."

"Under lock and key or chained to my bed," The thief chuckled as if finding humour in Malik's logical protocol of what should happen.

"You are free to move about the village as you see fit. No one will be watching your every move, no will be ordering you about... but me." Malik knew the thief would have no qualms about reminding him on who he belonged too

"I don't understand." Malik shook his head in disbelief, this meant he could escape at any time he wanted, it seemed too easy. "Aren't you worried I'll escape?" The thief moved and lifted Malik's chin.

"Take a look beyond this village." Malik did and saw nothing but rolling hot sand dunes that vanished into the horizon. "It goes on and on for weeks, if you don't know what direction you need to be going in, death will find you in days." So instead of locks and chains and watchful eyes, the desert was his prison bars. However, Malik had a feeling that he would be watched regardless.

"Don't look so down." The thief muttered in his ear. "Life by my side will not be that bad if you embrace it." He then walked off calling out over his shoulder. "You must be hungry?" Malik hesitantly followed way behind the other.

The place was a man-made village of tents; he had put it down to the thief King having a price on his head that forced him to keep moving around or be captured.

Everyone had gathered about to eat their morning meal. Upon sitting Malik was instantly handed a bowl of... gods was it alive? Malik placed it next to him his stomach rolling in queasiness. Malik turned his attention on the thief and watched him the entire time. Thief was looked relaxed and talked with his men from the raid openly.

"Another one?" There was a sigh from Bakura's right hand man, Rishid.

"I still can't get the screams out of my head from the last one." Katsuya groaned as he tossed down his empty bowl.

"He is rather cute." It was a small giggle from the only woman in the group, Mai.

"I can't believe the Pharaoh was right there and you took the kid." Ryuji grumbled.

"What part did ya forget the extra guards?" Katsuya snorted at Ryuji, and the argument started. The thief King so used to it, continued eating, they'd stop once of them was unconscious.

Malik stood and slowly backed up, with the group of men arguing and the thief distracted, he would rather take his chance in the desert than stay here another moment. Once away from the camp fire, Malik ran, no one stopped him, no one shouted, not even when he leapt onto the back of a horse and took off out of the camp at full speed.

The thief grinned taking another casual mouthful of his food and swallowed it down and muttered. "Pay up!"

"What?" His small group turned about to see the boy had gone. There was a round of groans as coins were dropped into the thief's open hand.

"I thought he would at least last two days before trying." Katsuya muttered.

"He's fast." Mai grinned dropping a few coins into the thief's hand. "You'll have your work cut out for you."

"He won't last the week." Ryuji growled, doing the same as the others.

"You wanna take that bet?" Katsuya growled.

"You're on!" They huddled together to place their bets.

The thief finished his meal and stood up with a sigh, "go get him."

Malik drove the horse on, even after he could no longer see the camp. He knew he would exhaust the animal out and possibly even kill it if he kept this speed up... He didn't care, he had to get away, get back home. Suddenly the horse gave a frighting sound and fell into the sand. Malik was thrown from its back and landed in something soft and hot... quick sand. The horse thrashed about wildly, before getting itself free and galloped away. "NOOO!" Malik screamed after it, finding himself sinking and unable to pull himself out.

"Trying to kill my horse, boy?" Came a growl, Malik turned his head and there was the thief and his men standing behind him. Oh gods, this man had inhuman speed.

"Help me!" Malik wanted to cruse himself for asking such a thing, but he certainly didn't want to die, not like this.

The thief King sneered before dropping to his knees and reaching out a hand, snagging a fist full of hair on top of Malik's head. Malik cried out and grabbed onto the thief's wrists, before he was dunked under the sand and pulled right back up. "I do not wish to waste my time or my men's by running after you!" The thief yelled at him and then dunked him again and held him under for a few moments before pulling him back up.

Malik used his hands to free his mouth and nose from the mushy sand and splattered and gasped.

"Would you favour it more if I chained you to my bed?" The thief dunked him again under the sand and pulled him back up. "Or would you rather to wonder free about the camp? Or you can stay here?" The thief dunked him again, not allowing the other to recover from the last dunking. He pulled the boy back up. "Answer me?" The thief snapped.

"I won't escape again!" Malik shouted out with a huge intake of air, he panicked when the other didn't move or pull him out, but glared down at him. "Please... please I don't want to die... I won't run again." Thief grunted and with one arm he pulled Malik free and dropped him onto solid ground.

Malik rolled onto his side, trying to get his breath back. "Ryuji!" Bakura called, the dark haired male approached on horseback. "Take him back to camp, clean him up."

"Yeah." Ryuji reached down and helped the thief haul Malik up onto the horse's back, Ryuji moved back, trapping Malik within his arms and took off towards camp.

Bakura mounted his horse and left at full speed across the desert with the rest of his men.

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Malik was surprised to find over the span of a few days, Bakura had been at his side and gave Malik a personnel guide of his '_home_' and introduced him to everyone that lived within the village properly. The thief's most trusted men were Varon, Ryuji, Katsuya and one woman by the name of Mai. The thief's right hand man was Rishid, he _was _large well muscled man, silent and looked so serious all the time, nothing made this man grin. They were the ones that stood out the most for Malik and he recognized Rishid as the one that had grabbed and held him in the Pharaoh's bedchamber the night he had been taken away.

Malik had made fast friends with Ryuji, Katsuya and Mai, really it was them that had accepted and warmed up to Malik first and he had welcomed them in return.

The days were busy and the nights were long. Malik reluctantly gave himself over to the thief almost every night and the thief had kept his word. Bakura was gentle and forceful and the pleasure _was_ mind blowing.

It wasn't long after being taken from the palace that Malik was soon swept up in a job of teaching, since he had so carelessly let slip. The thief and his man were gathered about organizing small groups to travel into Upper and Lower Egypt's main cities to sell, trade and buy. Bakura did this every month at different times. "You can't go." Malik spoke up, getting everyone's attention.

A few laughed and Ryuji clapped Malik on the back saying. "Don't fret, will take care of your husband." That had gotten a few more laughs, the thief King raised an eyebrow and hadn't liked that comment to much.

"No you idiot!" Malik turned to the thief King. "The Pharaoh sets up guards all through these cities for three days every two weeks looking for criminals."

"Since when?" The thief King had never noticed such a thing and he had been to these cities so often.

"Since I write out the order and dispatched it to all the guards under the Pharaoh's command to maybe help in capturing... you." Malik trailed off.

The thief King sat up paying more attention now; he gave Malik a critical stare. "You write and read?"

"Yes, I was the Pharaoh's diplomat on meetings with nobles and lords." Malik got annoyed with everyone staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths. "I wasn't a bloody palace decoration." Malik huffed.

The thief King rose to his feet and took Malik by the arm and lead him away, the others followed out of pure curiosity. Thief let out a loud whistle and suddenly they were surrounded by children, he pushed Malik towards them. "This is Malik, he's going to teach you all how to read." There were gasps followed by existed muttering and suddenly all the children rushed off faster than Malik's eyes could track them.

"I'm not a teacher!" Malik called back as he was suddenly surrounded again by little ones, each of them holding scrolls and tugging at him impatiently, calling out _'read to us!'_

The thief had no qualms about putting Malik in charge of teaching the children. The thief just smirked, "Such a skill would become helpful in _life_."

"Don't you mean, when your men get lost in a tomb or a town they can read their way out?" Malik said bluntly crossing his arms over his chest as he had not accepted such a job.

"Exactly what I said." The thief gave that damn grin and turned away swiftly and left, but was surprised that he wasn't followed by his men, but rather they stayed with Malik.

When Malik was teaching the children and the men, who asked more questions than the children, he had noticed the thief was hanging about but did not approach.

One night as the thief undressed, Malik was already in Bakura's bed wrapped up in silk sheets waiting and watching, Malik blushed and looked away hoping to stall the inevitable and asked softly. "Can you read?"

The thief simply shrugged, "A little," there was a sad note to the thief's voice. "My parents were knowledgeable; they were teaching me before they were murdered. I just never bothered after that, just stuck with stealing." Malik wanted to ask about his parents since the thief had brought it up once before and accused the Pharaoh openly for such an atrocity, but felt it wasn't the right time.

The thief crawled onto the bed. "I could teach you, here at night." Malik couldn't help himself as he reached out and ran his hand down the other's arm lightly, a soft smile on his lips; Malik wasn't sure on being able to freely touch the other.

The thief gave him a hard look as if silently working out the others real intentions, raised an eyebrow and nodded his head yes, before pinning Malik down under him.

The days turned into weeks.

The thief had his charms at times; Malik also witnessed a darker malicious side of the man that everyone feared from time to time. "No please!" Came a frightened panicked call, as Katsuya and Rishid dragged in a boy no older then twelve and dropped him on the ground before the thief King. "Please, I didn't mean it; I'll give it back, promise!" He sobbed so brokenly on the ground.

Malik watched wide eyed and his heart gave away to the pleading boy. "This is what happens!" Bakura yelled at the entire village who had been ordered to gather, to witness. "When you steal from, ME!"

"Please, please I want my mummy!" He was begging and screaming as his right arm was outstretched before him and just a downward strike and the boy's hand was removed at the wrist.

"Take him back to where he came from." The thief ordered as he cleaned his blade.

Malik run from the thief's side in tears, frightened and disgusted. The thief had no mercy for others within the dark pits of his black rotting soul.

Bakura found Malik a short time later, "The boy has been stealing from me for the past three months. Tonight he was caught; he'll not steal from me again. The physician will care for him and he'll be returned to where he came from." Bakura told him that a life as a thief was a hard one and in turn he too had to be just as hard on himself, on his men and the people he took in.

The thief was a stern leader of his small throng of thieves and if the people he took in under his care, did something wrong. The thief expected them to pay the penalty, no exceptions. Plus making an example out of them helped keep all in line.

Even though they were thieves living among thieves, there was no sealing from each other and no one broke any law laid down by the thief King. The village was at most times peaceful, which was broken when the thief king decided they needed to move again, then everything seemed to fall into chaos. Katsuya and Mai fought nonstop like an old married couple while they packed up camp and moved and to reset up the village elsewhere. Malik could see why the thief found it so amusing because it didn't matter what Katsuya said or snapped, Mai always had one good up on him.

Late one afternoon the thief asked, "Ever used one of those?" Malik leapt away from the swords that were being sharpened by a blacksmith.

"No." Malik bit his lip, feeling rather embarrassed since every man and a few women carried a sword. "Father wouldn't allow it; he thought books were better suited for me." Malik ran his finger over the handle. "I think he was afraid that if I knew how to use a sword, the Pharaoh would have placed me in the guard and I would have most likely gotten myself killed by now."

The thief rolled his eyes and with one hand he plucked out a sword and walked away. "Come with me." Malik hurried after him.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Going to teach you something useful that your spoiled palace life lacked," The thief turned and threw the sword into the ground right between Malik's feet, who almost had a heart-attack on the spot.

"Pick it up!" The thief said pulling out one of his scimitars and charged at Malik.

"Is it not best to teach the boy moves first before attacking him?" Came the urgent suggestion from Ryuji. The thief slid to a stop in the sand at the last possible second, Malik was wide eyed and staring at the blade, completely frozen in fear of unknowing what to do. Bakura growled and glared to his right. "Umm, Milord." Ryuji quickly added with a sheepish grin.

"You're right. I'll need your help." The thief stepped in behind Malik and made the other pressed his back to his chest, taking up Malik's hand with the sword in it. Being this close, Malik could feel every inch of the thief pressed again his back, the heat of his skin, his natural scent was musky and sweet, between wild flowers and spices, it made Malik's head swim and a grin on his lips. Words of instructions in his ear, Malik learnt how to use a sword.

The thief's men had gathered about to watch and help out with suggestions. The mock sword fights were slow to give instructions on blocking and when and where best to strike.

Bakura was pleased that over a span of a few days, that Malik was a fast learner. "My turn." The thief stepped in, taking it easy on Malik. "If you like." The thief blocked a blow and made a swing at Malik's side, who blocked it. "You could come with me tomorrow; we're raiding a new tomb we found." Everyone around them fell silent.

"Really?" Malik asked.

The thief smirked that wicked sense of self satisfaction and accomplishment in just a small twitch of the thief's lips. "But if you're happy staying here with the women and children." Malik yelped when the thief moved inward blocking Malik's blade and pulled him close. "It would be fun, I would protect you and besides." The thief moved in a little more, his voice turned husky and soft. "I want you to _come_."

* * *

"I promise you; I'm doing all I can to bring him back." Atemu said, trying to comfort Malik's sister. "I'm so grateful that Malik was so willing to save my life." He held her hands in his.

"It's been days." She wiped at her eyes trying to not lose hope just yet or that time was against her, against Malik.

"I'll not forget or give up on him." He said with determination and moved a little closer to her, adding. "If Malik had not come in when he did to save me, they would have killed me."

She shook her head, knowing Malik wouldn't have done something so daring. Her little brother still came running into her bedchamber at night in tears and shaken from bad dreams. "But Malik..."

"I tried to stop him, I did, but the thief had taken an interest in him and I tried to convince him to take me... and it breaks my heart that he had taken our dear Malik and I was helpless to do anything."

"My Pharaoh." A guard approached and bowed down on one knee a few feet from them.

"Thank you." Isis bowed knowing to take her leave.

"I'll give you any news as soon as I know anything." Atemu said watching her leave his throne hall and then turned his attention onto his guard. "News?" He ordered.

"We lost track of them. It's like they disappeared." The guard mumbled head bowed.

"FIND HIM!" Atem yelled outraged, the guard recoiled. "He knows of all my plains." He pulled a dagger from the folds of his robes and tossed it at his guard. "And when you find Malik, you know what to do." The Pharaoh turned and walked away.

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**TBC. **

As I said before, this was meant to be a one-shot, so it may seem a little jumpy/rushed in some places, but don't worry, I'm putting in all the good parts *winks* **R&R **(love and cookies)


	3. Knowing

**PLEASE NOTE: **This was originally written to be a one-shot, divided into different subsections. However, as it wound up being 25 something pages long, for the sake of convenience and easy reading. Still, this fic remains, at its core, a one-shot, and should read as such. Enjoy.

**Warning(s): **M. Yaoi. Spoilers names and some events. Disclaimer see first chapter.

**Chapter 3: Knowing**

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Malik accompanied Bakura on a raid; however he wasn't given a horse of his own but simply doubled with the thief King. Malik felt like a child for the duration of the trip, trapped by the male's arms and body. Malik had drifted off to sleep a few times, due to the thief keeping him up for most of the night and having left well before the sun rose.

Malik was jolted awake by the sudden stop of the horse and a nudge from the thief. "Wake up." Malik rubbed at his eyes and glanced about; he saw nothing but rolling sand dunes and a few trees. Everyone dismounted and tied up the horses to a small cluster of palm trees, grabbing weapons and bags.

Everything had gone so well, it was exciting since Malik had never seen inside a tomb before and he had always been curious, even though it was forbidden and he would surely be damned in the afterlife for all eternity for doing so, but, Bakura strolled on in like he was just returning home... Malik followed, silently praying for the gods to forgive him.

The bags were soon filled and they were leaving with everything valuable they could take. Rashid, Mai, Katsuya, Ryuji and Varon had made a few trips back and forth carrying heavy bags of gold, jewels and gems and had taken their last load out of the tomb. "Stay close to me." Bakura ordered Malik; his men were almost out already having filled their bags more quickly. The thief always took much longer than the others; he knew what would get him the best price upon selling.

"Do you always raid tombs?" Malik felt rather bad for what they were doing, so he touched nothing and only watched. The thief remarked that once a person was dead, they were dead and all this stuff would only rot away in the sands with time... so he had a better use for it.

"Just the fresh ones." The thief shoved a bag of gold into Malik's arms and paid no heed to the boy's protests as he raised his flame torch, breaking away the darkness, the thief slung a bag over his own shoulder. "I have to feed the village somehow and pay my men; they do not do this for free considering they could die doing what I ask them." Bakura reminded him, but Malik knew that Katsuya, Ryuji, Mai, Varon and Rishid would do it for free for the simple fact was that they loved the action, excitement and danger.

"Risking their lives," Malik frowned struggling with the bag a little, walking right behind the other. "Is it really that dangerous?" Malik truly had no idea what a life of a thief was really like, despite the small conversations he had with the other and in away Bakura was glad he didn't truly understand. "Sorry," Malik blurted out upon running into the thief's back.

"Idiots!" Bakura seethed and grabbed Malik by the arm. "Hurry, someone set off a trap." The tomb rumbled and shook, walls were moving as well as the floor. Shouts from Mai and Rishid echoed down the tombs long tunnels. Malik couldn't quite see what was flying past his head and body so fast... were they darts? He didn't get a good enough look as the thief urgently hurried him along. Suddenly the floor fell away into a pit of live snakes and spikes and Malik fell with a frightened scream.

The thief turned and lunged forward, he slid to a stop on his stomach at the edge of the pit and grabbed Malik's wrist. Malik hung by one arm, the bag in the other hand. "Drop the bag!" Bakura growled his grip on a broken bit of floor was slipping. Malik weighed too much to pull with the extra weight and using only one arm to hold them both.

"But, what about..."

"Drop the bag!" Malik wasn't sure what to do; he knew how much the thief cared about his goods, he had even killed men for losing loot in a similar situation, would the thief blame him later or kill him once they were out? "Drop the damn bag!" The thief ordered again, his arm straining with the weight and he was slipping also.

"But?" Malik started to panic when his arm slipped and he fell a little, until the thief reached down and grabbed his hand.

"I don't want to lose you." Bakura growled looking right at him. "Drop the bag Malik." He did as told and dropped it, Malik watched wide eyed as the snakes became angry and attacked the bag of gold. That could have been him. Malik was pulled up and onto his feet and was engulfed in the thief's embrace for a moment, before he was pulled along and escaped the tomb.

The sun was going down and the horses were tired from the extra weight they had to carry. Bakura gave the order and they set up a small fire and allowed the animals to rest for the night at a small oasis.

That night Malik sat on his own watching the fire that had cooked their meal, his mind going over what had happened that day and the look of worry on the thief's face when he fell down the pit, did the thief care for him more then what he as letting on? "Hey." The thief's voice was right in his ear; again Bakura had snuck up on him, the thief had sat himself down so that Malik, who was already sitting was now between the thief's legs and his back pressed against thief's chest. "I kept this for you." Bakura raised his hand in front of Malik's face and wrapped about his fingers was a gold chain with a small gold jewelled scarab, of green, red and purple gems.

"It's beautiful." Malik breathed out reaching up to touch it, his chin was gently grabbed and his face turned and the thief's lips met his in a lingering kiss. Malik's heart leapt and hammered in his chest, the thief did not kiss him that often, not even then they were in bed. The thief pulled away licking his lips for moment and placed the necklace about Malik's neck and sat there.

Malik lent back against him, fingers feeling the small gold jewelled scarab that sat nicely against his chest. "It suites you." Bakura murmured, his own fingers ran up and down Malik's chest softly. "I instantly thought of you when I saw it."

Malik moved between the thief's legs and rose up to his knees and cupped Bakura's face in his hands. "I'll never take it off." The thief's chest just about exploded with warmth for unknown reasons at the other's words and the way Malik stared down at him. "Why do you hide yourself?" Malik removed that damn white hood the thief wore on his head all the time, dropping it to the ground and kissed him, it was one of those heart stopping, breath stolen right from your lungs kiss.

Cat calls, cheers, claps and whistles broke out around the camp fire, the thief pulled away reluctantly and Malik tried to hold in his laugh and hide his blush. "Shut up or I cut your pay!" The thief growled at them, everyone around the fire fell silent. Malik settled back down between the thief's legs and lent against his chest, a small smile on his lips.

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Weeks rolled by and Atemu was on the breaking point of a full blown out fit of rage. His guards came trotting back to the palace empty handed night after night. They would bow before him quacking in fear as they spoke of the fiendish thief that moved faster than any normal man and how he vanished in the midst of a fight and reappear elsewhere, robbing them of their goods and leaving them with barely their lives intact.

Atemu would have preferred them all dead then have them crawling back to him with nothing.

Atemu didn't want to hear their excuses and ordered them to all leave his sight before he took their heads. Atemu passed in his bedchambers. It was clear that if he wished to get Malik back, he would have to step up his game.

Atemu wrote a brief letter and handed it to his most trusted priest.

It was late in the night when Atemu awoke to the sound of a bird in his chamber. "Pharaoh." Was a smooth voice in the darkness, "you summoned me?"

"Yes." Atemu knew in that instant who the stranger was in his bedchambers and thought twice on reaching for his dagger under his pillow. Atemu stated what he wanted. "My cousin Malik was taken from us by force. I want you to track down the man known as the thief King and take Malik from him and bring him back to me, _alive._"

The assassin rose to his feet, the sound of smell soft bells jiggled and the sound of a bird flapping its wings and squeaking filled the room. "As you wish."

"Once my cousin is back in my care you'll be rewarded." The assassin made for the window and the moonlight did nothing to reveal to Atemu on what the man looked like, but for the hood and robes he wore and the hawk on his shoulder that flew out the window. "Assassin," Atemu called, the man stopped moving, but didn't look back. "You have a few weeks before I hire another assassin and march my army across the desert and I'll wipe out everyone, including you. Do not fail me."

"As you wish," The assassin muttered with a bow of his head. Atemu was already snuggling down in his bed for sleep before the assassin could finish speaking.

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Malik was finding that life here wasn't all that bad; he fitted in so well with everyone. Malik had Bakura and a place at his side on some of the raids the thief King deemed were the less dangerous ones. Bakura's excuse was that Malik needed more training and should stick to the smaller raids.

Malik's days were good and his nights were still long. Bakura still took in Malik's teachings in reading at night and in return the thief King got out of Malik information in the way of torture.

Well for Malik it was torture in the worst possible way, the thief King knew just were to touch which sent Malik's hormones every which way and lost all hope of roping them in and having some control on the pleasure the thief was inflicting on him. "The gold must come from somewhere or how else would the Pharaoh be as wealthy as he is."

Malik panted arched his back as the thief skimmed his fingers lightly up his stomach; sweat dampened Malik's skin making it glow in the candle light. "Each month from Upper and Lower Egypt's cities, Atemu has placed a tax on every peddler and store vender."

"The gold?" The thief smirked, who knew that Malik would be more valuable to him than just a bed warmer. All the inside information that was stored in that smart pretty head, it was all Bakura's to pick at. Atemu would surely be kicking himself about now, having handed Malik over to him so carelessly.

"It gets transported at the end of... of every month to the Pharaoh's palace." Malik gasped bitting his lip to hold back his groan. He was so worked up and Bakura hadn't done much to him at all but touching, his body like always was screaming for more. "By the Pharaoh's guards posing as commoners." Malik shuddered again with a groan and panted out. "Please."

"So very good Malik." The thief praised him and with smirk he rolled from his side on top of Malik, liking how the boy's legs fell apart for him.

"Bakura?" Rishid was standing just feet away outside the tents door.

Malik slapped his hands over his mouth to hold in his moan, hoping that Rishid hadn't heard him. "I do not wish to be disturbed!" The Thief growled back angrily while staring down at Malik, just a small movement of his hips and he would be inside the boy's body.

"The Pharaoh's guards have made another attack."

The thief King cursed and Malik couldn't tell if it was because they were interrupted or if it was the mention of the pharaoh. Bakura moved about dressing in his usual attire and grabbing his weapons and left. Malik quickly dressed as well and followed the thief.

A small group of woman and children were gathered as well as everyone else within the village. A few of the very young children the woman held onto were dead, most of them were so injured that Malik didn't know how they made it all this way. "Give them food and water, a place to rest and make sure they are all seen by the physician." Bakura ordered through grit teeth, his jaw set in anger.

"Atemu did this?" Malik said shocked and close to tears in sympathy for the woman who sobbed so brokenly for their dead children and needed aid to move. "Atemu wouldn't..."

"LOOK AT THEM!" The thief grabbed him turning him to look at the small group. "Atemu huddles safely away in his palace like a coward while he orders his guards to slaughter innocent people in the night." Bakura sneered at him in disgust as Malik pulled away and glared at him. "And you hold love for this man?"

"We were raised together from birth, I know him... Atemu could not have done this." Malik shot back.

"We are only trying to survive in this world and Atemu cuts down anyone that stands against him, no matter age or gender. Your Pharaoh is nothing more than a murderer and this." Bakura pointed to the still huddled group before them. "These people are the victims of his doing." The thief moved and stood right behind Malik and spoke lowly in his ear. "Suddenly I'm not so bad after all." With that the thief walked by him and mounted his horse Mai had gotten for him. Malik watched the thief and his men ride off into the night.

Bakura returned late in the morning, a few of the women gathered about him. "Was there no one else?" They asked in hopes for safe return or rescue of husbands, sons and lovers who stayed behind to fight off the Pharaoh's guards.

"I'm sorry." The thief muttered. "We were too late. Everyone is dead and they burnt everything to the ground, there is nothing left." Cries broke out and the thief ignored them as he walked to his tent and stopped upon seeing Malik waiting for him in the threshold.

"Why?" Malik rushed at the thief throwing his arms about him and just held onto him. Bakura placed his hand on Malik's head. The hatred that the thief had for Atemu just skyrocketed and his determination to kill the Pharaoh grew greatly.

"I will kill him." The thief King muttered and felt Malik's arms tighten about him. Malik said nothing but just held him.

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**TBC**

I got a little caught up with some stuff, but updates for this will come much sooner now, I've changed a few things due to ideas that struck me at the last moment, **R&R **(cakes and cookies)


	4. The Absent King

**Author 's Notes: **Just a quick note to thank the anonymous reviewers –hugs- I do greatly appreciate the time all of you give to read my work and comment on it after, readers are the toping that makes writing that extra bit fun, so enjoy.

**Warning(s): **M. Yaoi. Spoilers of names. Disclaimer see first chapter.

**Chapter 4: The absent King. **

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It had taken time for Bakura to get over the attack of that village; his mood had been disgruntled to all around him and he was rather silent. The thief King's generous side showed through, on giving the victims of the pharaoh's gutless attack an open invitation to stay as long as they wished.

Once the small group was healed a few moved on, taking their leave to one of the cities. The thief provided them with an escort to see them safely to the city's walls. The other few that remained offered what they could contribute to help the village as gratitude for their stay.

It was also well known that Bakura didn't keep freeloaders.

Mai was the only one willing to give some insight on Bakura from her years of being with him. It had almost brought Malik to tears, which Bakura partly blamed himself for being only recognized by his odd coloured hair and had been followed home by the Pharaoh's guards and priests and everything turned into a hellish nightmare and the tragic death of his parents and villagers in one night. The scar on his face and his hair were the only reminders of that night, so Bakura did the only thing he could, he kept his hair to shoulder lengthen and hid it away at all times under that hood.

"A week!" Malik's heart dropped and was sure his face did as well, it seemed such a long time and he didn't want the thief to leave him after such a shocking event. The thief King packed his horse with water and the loot he had gathered over a few weeks.

"We are running low on food and supplies." The thief grunted tightening up straps on the animal; to be sure he wouldn't be thrown. "With the extra mouths to feed, what we do have won't last us the week." Bakura looked at him and lifted Malik's chin up. "Stick with your teachings and help Mai and Katsuya where you can." The thief gave that damn grin that Malik still didn't like, that same wicked and a since of self satisfaction and accomplishment in just a small twitch of the thief's lips. He lifted Malik's chin. "Will you miss me?" Malik bit his lip and wanted to say yes, but wasn't going to give the other that satisfaction of having another thing over him... the thief already used his body against him; Malik didn't need the thief using his emotions as well.

Malik gasped as he was pulled against the thief and his back hit the side of the horse. "Will you miss me?" The thief repeated, his body pressed against Malik's in all the right places. His lips just inches away from Malik's own and how shamelessly his emotions pulled at him in wanting to be kissed.

"Yes." Malik whispered out, his face heated up and flushed red as he tried to look away... it was sad to say that the thief had full control over his emotions as well. That grin got wider.

"Bakura, leave something to ravage when you return." Rishid grumbled already mounted on his horse and waiting. The thief King's grin was one of satisfaction and triumph as he backed away and mounted his horse and placed on his white hood, that he only now wore when he was leaving the village, he took off across the desert with a few of his men.

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The days rolled by and Malik was finding that he was missing the thief horribly, only due to the appalling things Bakura did to him that it now played on his mind and made him think and feel such things, especially at night. Malik through the day kept busy with the children and a few adults in teaching them how to read which he enjoyed greatly. He helped Mai in the afternoons with the horses and gathered water from a nearby oasis with the other women of the village.

Malik slumbered soundly in Bakura's bed one night, when he was woken by a commotion. He dressed quickly and rushed outside, everyone had gathered about something or someone and he feared something might have happened, that Bakura had returned early due to being harmed on his way to the Lower city. Malik pushed his way through and was meant with something he wished he would never witness again. "Another raid?" He gasped looking at Katsuya.

A man had stumbled upon their camp, wounded and bleeding he had clasped just outside the village, where he was found and brought into the camp. "Not sure, but we'll find out." Mai placed her hand on his shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze, before she ordered a scout team to make sure the man wasn't followed.

"Get the physician." Katsuya called out, as they lifted the injured man and carried him away.

The new comer had woken by drawn and Katsuya and Mai were waiting to question him, as it was pointless riding about the desert looking for a camp that would have been well hidden and to accidently stumble into the Pharaoh's guards... it wasn't going to happen. They waited for the stranger to awaken to question him and then they would decide what they were going to do.

"You answer me truthfully and I won't bring pain into this." Katsuya said looking down at the man; Malik had a cold chill as it sounded something close as to what Bakura would have said. "We'll start with your name, where you came from and what happened."

"My name is Mahado; I was the right hand man of lord Sugoroku just outside of Sais."

"Liar!" Katsuya spat drawing his sword and pointed it right at Mahado's face. "Sugoroku's camp and men were taken out over a month ago, thanks to the Pharaoh."

"I was the only one left alive." Mahado didn't even flinch away from the pointed end of the blade. "I made my own way stealing what I could to survive. I was heading to the Upper city when I ran into the Pharaoh's guards and I got away only to stumbled through the desert. I found this camp by chance. You saved my life." Mahado raised his arm and Katsuya leapt away with gasp as a hawk flew in over his head and landed on the new comer's arm, his eyes swept up and met Malik's in a stare for a few moments before he lowered them to his bird.

Malik was unnerved by the look the other gave him. "Do not make yourself comfortable for it's the thief King you must speak with, if you wish to stay." Katsuya sheathed his sword and walked away.

Malik followed Katsuya stating that he didn't like it that Mahado should be forced to move on as soon as he was able. Katsuya stated that it wasn't up to him, but Bakura and that for now Mahado would be watched closely until the thief's return.

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Malik was getting a little nervous on why Bakura hadn't returned yet, it had been a week already and the thief had yet to come back. The small village was just as peaceful as always and functioned rather well without the thief Kings presence.

Malik still went about his daily work like everyone else, except it didn't matter what Malik was doing he could feel the eyes of the new comer on him constantly, it had gotten so bad that when Malik turned about Mahado would be standing either behind him or a few feet away... just watching him in his silent way. Malik wasn't stupid he knew the thief King was watching him all the time, even though he had told Malik that he wouldn't be, but it wasn't this closely or so noticeable.

Malik stated his discomfort about Mahado in the camp and asked again that Katsuya make him move on. Again Katsuya brushed him off saying he wasn't such a bad guy once getting to know him.

Malik watched in concern as Katsuya sat down and joined Mahado in all meals and even allowed him to join in on a few raids due to a shortage of men. Ryuji too had stated that he didn't like the new comer and shouldn't be allowed such freedom, he too was ignored.

Malik wished Bakura would only harry up and return.

One night Mai had only added to Malik's worry, by saying that this was the longest Bakura had ever been away for. She added in hoping the thief hadn't of been captured or killed, because she didn't really want to kill him. Malik paled, it had slip his mind that, no matter how he got along with Katsuya, Ryuji and Mai they wouldn't let him leave or live if something happened to the thief and after all they were a group of cutthroat thieves looking out for themselves... Malik at that moment was swept up with a deep longing to be back in the safety of his sister's care and be back in his life where he was ignorant of all that was really happening behind closed doors and whispers in the shadows of unthinkable acts.

Isis was his only reason for wanting to return home, but he didn't think he could face Atemu knowing all that he had done... He now felt bad for not having really thought of her or how much she would be going out of her mind not knowing what happened to him... maybe Bakura would let him send a letter or something to let her know that he was okay.

Their conversation and Malik's thoughts were interrupted as the small scout group brought in five men into the camp, who were looking for food and a place to sleep. Katsuya and Ryuji were a little reluctant to let them, but since the men had a run-in with the Pharaoh's guards at the last town and looked rather beaten up, they allowed them to stay.

It would seem with the thief's absences the responsibility he had left to Katsuya was going straight to his head. His decisions were not thoroughly thought out; this was not going to go down well.

Malik's worry for the unknown whereabouts of the thief King, his life tied to said man should he not return, Mahado shadowing his every move for unknown reasons and Katsuya lacking in his questioning and allowing all who stumbled across the camp to stay, not once did it cross their minds that they could be part of the Pharaoh's guards. Sent by Atemu to wipe them out or drag Malik back to the palace... the attack on that village had now made Malik just as paranoid and untrusting as the thief King.

A few of the men were crude and rather grabby at the women, but it was soon stopped by disgruntled lovers and husbands. Fights broke out once in awhile when one of the men cornered a woman. Katsuya and Ryuji broke up fights with warnings that should not be ignored.

Malik wished they would simply leave, if the thief King was here he would have made them leave by now for he wouldn't have put up with what they were doing. Malik also didn't like how their leader Ushio seemed to watch his every move, much like Mahado, but the difference was Ushio was giving him looks to something akin to what the thief gave him at night.

Ushio had approached Malik on more than one occasion. He made small fleeting touches to Malik's arm, brushing hair from his face, comments on his looks. "You must be rather good or valuable to have that jewel about your neck." Malik placed his hand over it protectively and pulled away.

"Malik!" Ryuji called him away from Ushio, Malik did not hastate nor did he realize the other had cornered him so easily. "If you continue to case him," Ryuji warned. "I assure you; your death will come slowly and painfully."

"Is he yours?" Ushio smirked at the possibility of seeing Ryuji jealous.

Ryuji glared back, even the single males who had taken a liking to Malik upon his arrival, soon learned fast who the boy belonged too, they all kept a respectful distance including a few of the girls. "Malik is property of the thief King." Ryuji made it very clear and walked away.

It was late one afternoon when the five men were packing to leave; Katsuya had taken great pride in convincing them to leave with the help of mentioning the thief King would return at anytime, that was after Ryuji had yelled at Katsuya and threatened him by what Bakura would do if he found out that Malik was being targeted by Ushio.

The camp was settling down for the night when Malik was making his way to Bakura's tent. He was relieved to know that the men would be gone by the next day. Now, only if Bakura would return, for the last thing he wanted was for them to give up hope and slit his throat while he slept.

He had just reached the thief's tent when he was shoved hard from behind. Malik hit the ground hard inside the tent and didn't have time to recover as a weight of Ushio was on him. "Just think." He tore at Malik's clothes, who struggled with all he had to get away. "I'll be famous for being the only guy to have ever stolen from the great thief King himself"

"Get off!" Malik cried out, trying to land hits where he could, but at such a close space, it did nothing. The guy flipped Malik over onto his stomach, holding him in place while he undid his pants.

"Watching you over the last few days has been hell. I'll take you with me; I'll treat you so much better than that bastard thief." Malik still struggled to get free, he would rather a life time in thief's bed then a moment with his guy.

"Like hell you are!" Came Mai's voice and the weight Malik was being crushed under was gone, he scrambled on his hands and knees to the other side of the tent.

"Are you alright Malik?" Katsuya asked rushing over to him, Malik clearly shaken only nodded his head, besides a few bruises, torn clothing and the rough handling, no real damage had been done. "Ahh, the King's going to have our heads for this!" Katsuya turned barking his order.

"They are spies of the Pharaoh." Mahado walked in throwing down a cloak with the Pharaoh's symbol on it before Ushio.

Katsuya cursed at his own stupidity, Bakura would kill him if he found out... he had to do something. "Around them all up." He ordered. The men in the camp had been more than happy to help out in gathering up the other four men.

Katsuya lead the way as they dragged all five men outside the camp, never to been seen again. Malik didn't think they deserved to die, but they couldn't just be let go either. "It was more merciful coming from me, because if it had of been Bakura here and what that guy tried doing to you and being a guard. You've never seen Bakura truly pissed off at someone..." He trailed off going a little pale and waved a hand dismissively adding. "I like my sleep to be undisturbed."

Malik hoped he would never witness such a thing as he already thought Bakura could be cruel bastard at times.

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He really wanted to go, show Bakura that he too could earn his keep like every other male in the camp. "Are you sure?" Malik asked eyeing the horse.

"Yes, it's only small, a few men and mostly woman caravanning to Upper Egypt not far from here. Nothing to worry about, I have your back." Malik bit his lip, he had never gone on a raid before without Bakura being at his side, the thief had travailed to Thebes with Rishid and Varon and had yet to return.

Malik had never attacked people before in his life for any reason at all; it seemed so savage to him, besides the thief only took him to raid tombs where there wasn't any people involved but the dead... Malik didn't know which was worse, robbing from the dead or attacking people... He so wanted to prove that he was just as capable as the rest of Bakura's men.

"No, I have your back." Mai muttered giving Malik wink as she mounted her horse and moved the beast with a kick of her heels, following Mahado.

"Let's move, while Ra is still in the sky." Ryuji mumbled following Mai. Malik mounted the horse and followed them.

Attacking the travailing caravan, had been a little more trouble then what they had expected, the men were from the palace, Atemu's guards, who were well armed and ready for any such attack. In the moments of surprise of not having the few people running and screaming or dropping to the their knees begging for their lives, they attacked head on, Mai had been stabbed in the shoulder, and Malik had an arrow shot into his side.

The small battle consisted of Katsuya grabbing Mai and calling out a retreat. They returned with only their lives later that night.

The thief King met them upon their return and he looked furious. He rushed to Ryuji who held an unconscious Malik in his arms on horseback. He let Malik fell into the waiting arms of the thief.

"Sorry, Milord." Ryuji muttered his apology and hopes in defending himself against any punishment that was coming his way, for the look the thief King gave them, told him that they were all going to get it. "They were the Pharaoh's guards." The thief froze staring at him for a moment, then scanned over the dark desert.

"Get patrols out there; I want them outside the camp and inside. No one sleeps everyone's on watch." Ryuji nodded his head and moved to for fill the orders. "Who are you?" The thief snarled at Mahado and before the man could answer Bakura had turned away. "Get the physician!" The thief ordered and glared at Katsuya. "You," He seethed his grip tightened on Malik, it was obvious that he had been mistaken in leaving him in charge. "I'll deal with you later." Mai was carried by Rishid as he followed Bakura.

The physician spoke once Bakura laid Malik onto his side. "You must hold him." The thief with a solemn look did as told, he held Malik to him tightly as the old man worked to remove the arrow. Malik woke up long enough to scream his pain, clutching at the thief and promptly passed out again when it was pulled free of his body.

"Will he be... alright?" The thief asked holding an unconscious Malik to him as the physician worked on the wound for a moment before he sealed the wound with a hot end of a blade and then wrapped Malik's side up.

"It struck nothing of importance. He'll need rest and watch for infections. He should heal just fine. You can take him now." The old man said as he moved onto Mai. Kissing Malik's forehead briefly as the thief rose to his feet and carried the boy back to his tent, where Malik could rest undisturbed.

Mahado watched the scene as it played out before him, the boy held some importance to the thief and it was obvious there was some kind of affection there between the two.

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Katsuya had been stripped of all privileges of being in charge in the thief's absence; he had been flogged, ten lashes and tied to a post just outside the village for three days without food or water and in the full wake of the blistering sun and cold nights.

Mai had been rather upset but seemed to silently except the punishment that was dealt to Katsuya. However, she ignored and avoided the thief King the best she could and it wasn't just Mai, but the entire village avoided the thief and his extremely bad mood when they saw him coming, in fear that he would direct his anger at them, they would stay out of his path and sight the best they could.

Mai kept a watchful eye over Katsuya, making sure nothing attacked him in the night while he was bound, while keeping her distance.

Malik had been pulled from all raiding and was to remain within the village borders at all times, unless companioned by the thief himself. Bakura had made it very clear that Malik too would be punished if he broke that rule.

It worried on the thief King's mind that the Pharaoh had sent his guards so far out into the desert was because the little brat was still looking for his cousin. Bakura tracked the guard's movements and made sure they were not looking for his village. The guards did try and Bakura lead an attack, killing the guards and stripping their bodies from armour to sandals. The thief give the order to pack-up camp and move, he was taking no risks and no one dared argue, they simply got to work.

Three days and Katsuya was dragged back to camp and dropped at the thief's feet. "Was his punishment really worth almost killing him over?" Malik muttered at the thief king, angry that Katsuya couldn't even raise his head from the ground or move at all on his own. His skin was blistered and burnt; he could barely breathe and was so dehydrated that his lips were cracked and bleeding.

"Be quite." The thief snarled at Malik. "Everyone knows I set the rules and everyone follows them if they wish to survive." He turned his dark glare on the still body of Katsuya. "Two were injured and you might as well have escorted the Pharaoh's guards back here!" The thief circled him, he was beyond furious, his men gathered about, heads hung and silent. "I set the raids and plan them carefully; I gave no orders for raids while I was gone! You might as well have just invited them here." He gave a kick to Katsuya, who only rolled onto his side and the thief pulled his sword. "You could have gotten everyone killed by your stupidity!"

"Stop!" Mai rushed in throwing herself over her lover's body. "Please don't" she was begging. "Katsuya has suffered enough; you've made your point. He'll never do it again." There was a short collective of gasps as Bakura raised his sword, Mai shut her eyes and pressed her face into Katsuya's back wanting the blow that would end both their lives.

Malik wouldn't run off in tears at the sight of the thief's sadistic side, not when it was aimed at the thief's own loyal man. Malik moved forward that made him cry out in pain and stumbled on his feet and fell against the thief while holding his side; Bakura caught him lowering his weapon. "Bakura," Malik mumbled into his chest, he felt the need to at least stand up for Katsuya for saving him from that man, which Bakura had no idea what had happened in his time away. If Bakura was already fuming at Katsuya for taking it upon himself to raid, Malik feared the thief would kill Ryuji and Mai and Mahado along with Katsuya and for allowing that group of men to stay in the camp. "Don't, killing him will lose your loyalty of your men." Malik straightened up and stood his ground even then the thief was towering over him and the look in his eyes was murderous, Malik still glared back though it was wavering, the thief did have a horrify temper.

"Get. Katsuya. Out. Of. Here." They all rushed forward and carried the unconscious man out; Mai gave Malik a fleeting look of gratitude and sympathy, for whatever happened to Malik next, no one could help him. "You!" The thief raged at Malik, grabbing the other by the arms tightly enough to leave bruises, Malik whimpered. "You ever undermine me again in front of my men; all personally remove your tongue."

"You would have killed him!" Malik hissed back, he had seen it happen before when the thief was in such a mood his judgement was cloud by his own anger.

"He would have deserved it!" The thief yelled in complete anger. "I'll not lose another village because of him or anyone!"

"Your men like Katsuya, killing him would have them all turn..." Malik was cut off.

"Enough!" The thief raised his hand to strike him, Malik recoiled shutting his eyes he had never been hit before and waited for the blow that never came. "Look at me." The thief shook him hard enough to rattle his teeth and his grip was crushing on his arms. "I'll take this as payment for your information you have given me... but you do not ever ask of anything from me ever again." The thief turned leaving the tent, Malik was so shaken up that he fell to his knees holding his side.

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**TBC**

Slight changes I've made and the reason why this isn't being updated as fast as I would like it to, but it's so much smoother then what I had originally, how can you tell, you'll just have to take my word for it (love and cookies) and **R&R**.


	5. Raid on the Thief King

Due to the small plot twist, it's taken a little longer to get posted, but I'm rather happy with the outcome, enjoy.

**Warning(s): **M. Yaoi. Spoilers of names. Disclaimer see first chapter.

**Chapter 5: **Raid the Thief King.

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Malik was surprised that Bakura hadn't placed him in chains or locked him away somewhere under watchful eyes of one of his men. Instead the thief did something much worse; he made sure Malik knew his place. He stripped away all of Malik's privileges in teaching the children and moving about the village freely, Malik was constantly flanked by Ryuji. Malik's food was cut back to almost crumbs that weren't even fit for a mouse. The thief's men made sure Malik kept his distance from the thief at all times and it was breaking Malik down. The bastard thief had taken everything from him that he ever knew and threw him into a world he had never known existed... sure he knew of thieves and criminals and Malik on an occasion laid eyes on them a few times by chance in passing as they were marched to the execution chamber and never seen again.

Now, Malik was eating with them, raided tombs, tombs of all places, with them, and he had even befriended a few of them. The gods damn him for all eternity, he even bedded himself with the worst of them, the most wanted, the most skilled, the thief King himself, no doubt the title given by his own ego, it was so like him.

Malik felt awkward sharing a tent with Ryuji and sleeping on his own after having spent so many nights in the thief's bed, warm and comfortable... Malik now lay on the hard ground with nothing but rags to cover himself with while Ryuji slept in a bed on the other side of the tent. Ryuji for the most part was the silent kind and offered no real conversation as the two settled in for the night... Malik now felt used, unwanted and useless and good for one thing, but even that felt he wasn't even capable of doing right, no matter how unexperienced he was and still is.

Malik waited until Ryuji fell asleep before he slipped silently out and made his way towards Bakura's tent... all of Malik's rational thoughts screamed at him that he was now free of being forced into the thief's bed, that if given enough time Bakura just may forget about him and Malik could simply slip into the night and return home and Bakura would be none the wiser. Malik's insides twisted up hurtfully at the thought of being used for such a short time and then thrown away as if he was nothing... a twisted, darker, unspoken part of him missed whatever twisted relationship they had between them and yearned for it back rather strongly.

He slipped inside the tent in what he thought was silent enough not to be noticed... but standing on the other side was the thief undressing himself and his reflection was caught in a mirror. Before the thief could turn around, "Bakura." Malik rushed across the area and threw his arms about the thief and buried his face into the other's back. "I'm so sorry... forgive me." Malik was begging, he didn't think he could take much more of Bakura's cold ways towards him.

"Malik." The thief sighed and didn't move, he simply allowed Malik to hug him.

"There is nothing more you can take from me and if you no longer want me." Malik mumbled trying to hold back his tears, because that was one thing the thief wouldn't get from him. "Allow me to return home to my sister... I'll never speak of you or give any information that would lead to your capture." The thief turned about and placed his hands on Malik's shoulders. "I'm begging you." Malik was in tears, he failed at keeping them at bay, but the thought of his sister and how much he missed her had brought them forth, they rolled uncontrollably down his cheeks and he clutched at Bakura. Ryuji and few of the other's said that the thief King did not let go of his anger easily and Malik did fear the thief may never forgive him and just deicide to end his life. "I want to go home."

Bakura silently watched and listened as Malik gave his heart wrenching sobs and pleas to return home and it pulled at the thief's emotions like nothing else before and he felt his hard exterior melt. Malik had never asked to be let go until now, sure he tried to escape once before, but nothing ever came of it again.

Rishid had spoken to him a few days ago and mentioned in a subtle way that someone of Malik's nature could be crushed rather easily if under the wrong circumstances that would have two outcomes.

One: If Bakura continued on the path of treating the boy like he was, Malik would completely hate him, which the outcome would be another dead boy to add to the already long list of dead bed-warmers.

Two: Malik would spiral into depression and Bakura would have to end up killing him... just like the others.

Three: Malik was unlike anyone Bakura had '_kept'_ before. Malik didn't cry all the time, didn't try to escape even when surrounded by so many, didn't scream or recoiled whenever Bakura came near him or then touched him and he didn't stop eating. The boy was so willing to even raid with them and Malik didn't have to do much to fit in with everyone around him.

Bakura did take it all into consideration and he really, really didn't want neither one or two to happen; he lifted Malik's chin up, "You would leave me?" Malik gave off a small hiccup out of shock of what the thief said.

"But I thought." Malik was so confused. "You are so angry at me."

"I am angry at you for what you did." Bakura was honest and the way he had been treating Malik showed all that even though the boy took place in his bed, Malik would be treated no differently from anyone else in the village. "It doesn't mean I am willing to be rid of you so easily."

Malik pressed himself up against the thief. "I do not wish to leave you." The thief smirk it was one of confidence and accomplishment in just a twitch of lips. Malik gasped as the thief King pulled him close and Malik could feel the other's hardness that was also now pressed against him.

"Milord!" Ryuji entered the tent looking as if death was at his heels and gasping out of breath. "Malik's gone he ran..." He froze on the spot his words dying in his throat upon seeing the boy wrapped in the thief King's arms, not sure what to do Ryuji bowed. "My mistake, I found him." He backed out; muttering his apology and prayed that he hadn't interrupted anything important.

Ryuji in his haste to get some distance from the tent had missed the dark figure moving about the thief King's tent. The figure moved to the back of the tent and cut a slit in the material to see what was going on inside. Mahado had to make sure the thief wouldn't kill his mission's target.

The wraps of material about Malik's shoulders and torso and the wrap about his waist was easily removed, his hand stopped at the trinket that hung about Malik's neck. "You're so fixated with treasure." Malik removed the cloak from the thief's shoulders and down his arms.

"You are my treasure, Malik." Thief gently pushed the boy towards his bed and laid him back upon it. Malik bit his lip and moaned at the firm caresses to his body and soft lips that kissed their way down, until Bakura's hot mouth engulfed his length.

Malik arched his back and bent his knees up and curled his fingers in... that damn hood! He pulled it from the thief's head and tossed it aside and then ran his fingers through soft spiked white hair. Bakura growled at having lost his small bottle of oil, but his mind didn't linger on it for too long. "It's going to be a little rough."Malik grabbed the thief's hand and placed three of his fingers in his mouth and sucked on them, slicking them up.

Bakura smirked at the whimper when he pulled them from Malik's mouth, the boy gasped as one of the digits pressed into his body and Bakura couldn't wait to have Malik writhe against him and moaning his name.

Bakura pulled back and watched as Malik sat up and lent over, taking the thief's hardness into mouth. "Malik." Bakura breathed out closing his eyes; it had been too long since he had been in this situation with the boy and not doing it for his own reasons of satisfying his lust or getting information, but simply wanting, Malik. He made sure to leave a good amount of saliva behind, Malik sat back wiping at his mouth with the back of hand with a good blush on his cheeks.

Bakura's wine red eyes were smouldering with barely contained ravenous desire, he gave a ferial growl and pulled Malik onto his lap and entered him in one move. Malik threw his head back and cried out at the ceiling, arms wrapped about the thief's shoulder and head, his knees pressed to the thief's sides.

The thief King almost instantly created a pleasing rhythm, one hand sneaking down and wrapping around Malik's length, stroking it in time with his thrusts. Malik panted out gasping when the thrusts came harder and Bakura hit that spot that had Malik gripping at his body and thrusting his hips down to met Bakura's upwards thrusts.

It amazed the thief how Malik's tan skin had a sheen of perspire and glowed in the candle light, he couldn't tear his eyes away at the sight of how Malik's sweat damn hair stuck to his face... yes, Malik was indeed a rare treasure that he was willing to keep at all costs.

"Malik," Bakura gritted his teeth together; he wasn't going to last long the way he was watching the boy and how Malik moved with and against him.

"I can't!" Malik cried out as he came in Bakura's hand and the thief King so willingly followed in his own personal rapture, grinning as Malik slumped against the thief King in exhaustion and panting heavily to get his breath back.

Bakura had no time to react as Malik suddenly moved so fast, twisting backwards his leg's tightened about the thief King for balance, his hand drove under the pillows and pulled out the sword Bakura always kept there. Malik twisted back around and he lunged his body, arm and the sword forward. Bakura's eyes widened and the air rushed from his lungs instantly at hearing the blade slice through flesh and bone and the warmth that now ran down his side.

Malik's eyes were wide with shock and filled with tears as they were deadlocked with Bakura's as he pulled the sword from the body and gasped at seeing the blade covered in blood. Painless, the thief felt nothing when there should have been excruciating pain.

The intruder gasped and stumbled away holding his side and dropped a dagger and fell to the ground on his hand and knees. Bakura was off the bed, taking the sword from Malik's shaking hand. "I killed him, he was... he was going to kill you." Malik muttered thickly in tears, the thief King caressed Malik's cheek before turning and kicking the man over and was surprised to find it was a guard from the palace; Bakura looked upon the man with no other emotion but anger. "We're under attack! The Pharaoh's guards are attacking!" Calls rang out all over the village.

"Atemu is here?" Malik gasped getting off the bed, what was his cousin doing all the way out here when it was the Pharaoh himself who had cast Malik aside and into the arms of the thief King to save himself... and the Pharaoh was here to rescue him.

"Atemu isn't here, the coward." Bakura hissed. Malik was relieved that the man was only wounded and he hadn't been responsible for someone's death, though the guard coughed up blood and gagged, he also laughed at them from the flat of his back which shocked Malik.

"My men will have this little camp wiped out within an..." He didn't get to finish as Bakura drove his sword through his chest and moved on to get dressed. The thief King truly held no mercy for the enemy, Malik shuddered to think what Bakura would do once he caught up with his cousin.

"Bakura, there are about twenty or so guards attacking the village." Rishid and Ryuji entered the tent, armed with all kinds of weapons. Malik dove for his closes to cover himself. Bakura dressed within moments, ordered his men to kill every guard. The thief followed his men into the battle to save innocent people that lived within his man-made village.

Malik dressed and rushed outside and saw most of the tents already engulfed by flames, people were running about trying to get away and very few were trying to put the flames out; some were already dead that Malik had come to know over his time. He tore his eyes away from the chaos before him, trying not to see as Bakura so mercilessly cut down guards as if they were nothing.

Malik moved forward to help in getting whoever he could out of the village and away to a safe distance, mostly the elderly and the small children were the first he could think of... everyone else seemed to handle themselves just fine.

Suddenly something stung Malik in the neck, he brought his hand up and pulled it down to find a small dart in his fingers, warmth flooded his body and he felt so tried, his legs gave out. "Bakura!" His call only seemed to fill the area around him, before he hit the ground arms wrapped about him and he was caught safely.

"I don't wish you to be too damaged for when I present you to the Pharaoh. Don't worry about your thief; he'll be dead by morning." Mahado muttered watching as Malik helplessly struggled to stay conscious long enough to get the thief's attention who was still in Malik's line of sight and seemed only feet away.

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Before drawn every guard that wasn't dead would wish they were, the thief King would keep them for questioning before killing them. The fires were put out and the dead were being gathered outside the village. It was too much damage and it would take months get this place back to how it was, he was thankful that a few of the tents were untouched, they still had food and water, a few horses had escaped and a few of the young ones had ran out into the desert for safety and most likely got themselves lost.

Bakura sent out scout groups to bring them all back before trouble found them. He ordered who was left alive and uninjured to salvage what they could and pack it up for moving.

The thief King knew it could have been so much worse when what it was, he could have lost everyone. "Your injuries must be looked at." The physician rushed after the thief King.

"Nothing but scratches," Bakura mounted his horse which the beast was so worked up that it just wanted to go and the thief needed it's speed, for whoever took Malik had a good head start, but not for long.

Bakura turned the horse about and fled out into the darkness at full speed. Rishid, Mai and Ryuji followed right after. Katsuya however was left in charge to round up any guards that had survived.

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Mahadowhipped hishorse to move faster. Malik was still unconscious slumped over the saddle gagged and bound by hand and foot. The city's walls were now in view by the light of a new day and Mahado could taste his reword. Lucky for him he didn't have to confront the thief King in battle to obtain the boy. Though deep down he did feel sorry for Malik, for it seemed that he was in love with the thief, who was no doubt dead laying among his crumbled little kingdom and dead subjects.

Malik moaned groggily from behind him and the assassin hastened his horse to move faster, he wanted the boy before the Pharaoh before the drug wore off. Suddenly out of nowhere the thief King stood mounted on his horse blocking his path and the woman aimed a bow and arrow at him. Mahado pulled on the reins so hard that the horse slid in the sand, threw its head up and let out a cry, Malik almost rolled from off the back of the horse if it wasn't for the assassin grabbing onto him.

Mai raised the bow and the arrow shot out. "NOOOO!" Mahado cried out a soon as he realized who she was aiming for, his hawk was shot down out of the sky. "BASTARDS!" He yelled pulling out his sword and placed the blade under Malik's head and against his throat.

"The next one goes through your head!" Bakura yelled at him as Mai aimed the bow and a new arrow at him.

"I'll kill him, let me pass!" Mahado had to marvel at what gave this man such unnatural speed. He had never been caught like this before... he had never been caught before.

"I want the boy." The thief King got down from his horse, pulled out his swords, one in each hand and slowly walked towards Mahado.

"Then came clam him!" Mahado removed the blade from the boy's throat and charged towards the thief. Suddenly he was attacked from both sides and pulled down onto the sand with such force that it knocked the air out of him as he rolled, the horse galloped off, bucking and kicking purely out of fright. Rishid and Ryuji were on him and were about to kill him.

"I want him alive!" The thief King called out, Rishid and Ryuji didn't question as they moved about and tied Mahado up and gagged him before throwing him onto the back of a horse.

The thief King rushed over to where Malik had fallen off the horse and lay in the sand unmoving. "Malik?" Bakura lifted him up and removed the gag and cut away the rope that bound him, he lifted Malik up by his back and pressed his ear to the boy's chest. "He's alive. Let's go back, before we are noticed." Mounting his horse and Malik resting against his chest, he rushed off across the desert with his men close behind with their new prisoner.

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Malik woke with a start remembering instantly what happened before passing out. He glanced about and noticed he hadn't woken up in the palace's dungeons or clapped in iron, but a tomb. "Finally." Mai muttered pushing off the stone wall. "Thought you'd never wake up."

"Bakura?" Malik shakily got to his feet.

"Waiting for you, kind of." She turned and walked down a dark tunnel, Malik rushed after her the best he could. An abnormal moan bounced off the walls and Malik leapt forward grabbing onto Mai's arm.

"What was that!" He was soon answered as they entered a well lit area and Mahado was on his side, covered in blood and all kinds of wounds. Up ahead, Bakura sat on a sarcophagus his eyes though slightly hidden by the white hood, held a twisted glee to them while watching his prisoner writhe in pain before him. Whatever happened to the man, Bakura had done it before he had woken up and Malik was thankful that he had missed the screaming.

It was obvious to the thief King on who hired the assassin due to Malik being kidnapped, it was Atemu's plains that Bakura was after and Mahado was rather tight lipped about it. Bakura rose to his feet gracefully and strode forward. "Last time... what has Atemu planed for Malik once he returns?" Taking out his sword, the thief King drove the blade through the assassin's hand to the ground and left it there. Mahado screamed and Malik turned away, Bakura was never a man who got other's to do such things for him, oh no, the thief King was a _'self doer.'_ This was also the thief Kings other method of abstracting information from anyone that Malik was more than happy didn't wittiness first hand.

"I don't know!" Mahado panted his eyes on the blade through his hand; he'd never throw a knife or properly hold a sword again. The thief King growled as he moved the sword's blade side to side. "The Pharaoh said if I didn't return with Malik in a few weeks, he would hire another assassin and march his army across the desert and wipe everyone out."

"Atemu has no army." The thief King and the other laughed, having constantly killed guards over the years, there was no way Atemu could replace his man that fast or in such great numbers.

"Yes, yes he does." Malik paled and Atemu did have the numbers now.

"What?" Bakura was before Malik staring him down, his eyes now burned with a contained anger, how did such information slip by him? He was always so observant and paid damn well for this kind of thing... he's spies were getting slack. Malik licked his lips dry, he didn't want to say it, didn't want to crush the thief's hope that he could fight his way out of this one. "Malik." Bakura growled.

"Atemu has allied himself with the PersiaEmpire through an arranged marriage." Malik's insides twisted up on his thoughts and what he was about to say. "My cousin will march that army across the span of Egypt if it meant the outcome would be possession of your head."

"Why does he want you back so badly?" The thief King moved forward his look suspicious, forcing Malik to back up. "What have you kept from me?" He shoved Malik to the hard stone wall.

"Nothing!" Malik shot back out of the slight pain that ran up his back. "I've kept nothing from you! Gods, I couldn't keep anything from you." It was true Bakura did things to him and he had lost control over his own mind, mouth and body, the thief King had opened him up all like he did with the tombs and Malik was laid out bare before him. "Atemu is using me as an excuse." It hit them both at that exact moment.

The real reason Atemu had thrown Malik at him and how stupid he had been in taking the bait, the Pharaoh had played him to his advantage and in turn would give a sob story to his new allied court about his kidnapped beloved cousin and he would be dead in a matter of time, with so many looking out for him, there would be nowhere to hide, no one to trade with, food and supplies would become hard to obtain. There would be no way he could keep his village or the people he considered his family.

"You're out of time thief." Mahado chuckled at finding the situation rather humours. The thief King turned and in a few short few steps he kicked the assassin in the face, knocking him out.

"Bakura, what are we going to do?" Mai worriedly asked.

"What do you wish us to do?" Rishid muttered.

The thief King slumped down against the sarcophagus, silent and deep in thought, before his eyes turned on Malik and he gave his order. "You're getting your wish, Malik. You will be returning home."

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**TBC. **

Not much left to go now, **R&R** (Love and Cookies)


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